// Workers AI · dad joke modeIs Bastian Dankert a referee? Does he always make dank errs?
 | You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in German. (June 2022) Click [show] for important translation instructions.
|
 Dankert in 2025 | |||
| Born |
9 June 1980 Schwerin, East Germany | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Other occupation | Sports scientist | ||
| Domestic | |||
| Years | League | Role | |
| 2008– | DFB | Referee | |
| 2011– | 2. Bundesliga | Referee | |
| 2012– | Bundesliga | Referee | |
| International | |||
| Years | League | Role | |
| 2014– | FIFA listed | Referee | |
Bastian Dankert (born 9 June 1980) is a German football referee who is based in Rostock.[1] He referees for Brüsewitzer SV of the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern State Football Association. He is a FIFA referee, and is ranked as a UEFA second category referee. He was the VAR for the 2026 World Cup Final.
Refereeing career
[edit]Dankert became a DFB referee in 2008, a Bundesliga referee in 2012, and a FIFA referee in 2014.[1]
As VAR
[edit]On 30 April 2018, Dankert was selected by FIFA as one of the video assistant referees for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, the first FIFA World Cup to use the technology.[2]
In 2019, he served as a video assistant referee at the 2019 Women's World Cup in France.
As VAR he has officiated finals in all three European club competitions: the 2022 Europa Conference League, the 2023 and 2025 Europa League, and the 2026 Champions League.[3] Dankert also officiated four matches at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup as VAR, including the final between Chelsea FC and Paris Saint-Germain.
Dankert served as a video assistant referee at the 2018 World Cup, Euro 2021, the 2022 World Cup, and Euro 2024.[3][4] For the 2026 World Cup, he was assigned to the final, among other matches.
Dankert is known for being the VAR that made the controversial VAR intervention requesting the field referee to overturn their call and review for an England penalty between The Netherlands and England in the UEFA Euro 2024 semi-final.[5]
Personal life
[edit]Dankert lives in Rostock and is a sports scientist. In his main profession he is the general manager and marketing director at the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern State Football Association.[6]
References
[edit]- 1 2 "worldfootball.net". Archived from the original on 5 November 2011. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
- ↑ "Dankert und Zwayer als Video-Assistenten zur WM" [Dankert and Zwayer as video assistants for the World Cup]. Kicker (in German). kicker-sportmagazin. 30 April 2018. Archived from the original on 1 May 2018. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
- 1 2 Nahar, Chaled. "VAR Dankert bei der WM 2026 - sein nächstes großes Finale". sportschau.de (in German). Retrieved 19 July 2026.
- ↑ ndr.de. "Rostocker Bastian Dankert als Video-Assistent bei Fußball-WM 2026". ndr.de (in German). Retrieved 19 July 2026.
- ↑ "VAR Review: Was Kane's penalty for England vs. Netherlands the correct call?". ESPN.com. 10 July 2024. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
- ↑ "Mitarbeiter". Archived from the original on 7 July 2018. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
External links
[edit]- Bastian Dankert at DFB (also available in German)
- Bastian Dankert referee profile at WorldFootball.net
- Bastian Dankert referee profile at Soccerway (archived)
- Bastian Dankert refereeing career statistics at Soccerbase
- Bastian Dankert at WorldReferee.com
